I have a box of old bike parts for bikes that I no longer even own. Are you interested in donations of parts/gear? If so, can I just bring it to your camp or is there some other system you'd prefer? Thanks this is such an awesome generous service!

Time for an update! (We have been using the FUNDRAISER thread in recent days, but we cannot "loiter" on that.)

We are past $4,000 on the Indiegogo campaign! That means we are sure to have what-I-consider the minimum of parts and other supplies. And we will pay Indiegogo the minimum commission. With a couple thousand more, we can put on a class act.

And with the "dire need" behind us, I took down the Lodging In Millicent perk. After all, rooming with strangers is kind'a high risk.

I'm running out of Loaner bicycles, so other ideas for Perks are welcome. I'm thinking of offering the manly tutu that CherryBlossom73 made for me -- if she concurs.

Timing is a concern. The Indiegogo funds will not be released until beginning of August, leaving only three weeks to arrange and complete purchases. Some sort of bridge loan might be prudent, to forestall the disaster that could occur if vital supplies are delayed. This is almost like running a business!

This idea was discussed before somewhere around ePlaya, and now Ratty tells me she has readied two books for the purpose.

The purpose being... to have a couple directories of where ePlaya members are camped. EPlayans stop by and write their address in the book, so other ePlayans can find them.

So, one of these directories will be at Elliot's Bicycle Service, which should be easy to find in the 4:30 Plaza. I will venture a wild guess that the other book may wind up on the other side of the city.

Obviously, the sooner you make your entry, the better. The book will be available from the middle of setup week. Look for a sign announcing "ePlaya Member Directory" or words to that effect.

Looks like we will have a shaded space suitable for body painting, with "spill proof" floor and a big mirror.

(If all goes well, this will be one of several side shows we will have in addition to our bicycle services. Others include a Foot Wash service, a Tarot Card reader, and a Letter To Self writing desk/mailing service.)

How much interest is there? Artists? Victi models?

I figure Friday will be the big day for this, in preparation for the Critical Tits Ride. (I'm looking for confirmation on the time of CTR. 4 p.m.?)

Proper theatrical body paints are not cheap, but I think we can manage to provide some.

And Sunbeam reports that her Fish Out Of Water camp, which was with us last year and served all those Bacon Tamales, has been placed at 5:00 and F. Congrats, Sunbeam, on your very own Placed Theme Camp!

In other news.... There are now only three Loaner Bicycles left as Perks in our Indiegogo campaign. And there will be no more. Link to the campaign in my sig below.

The MANLY TUTU is now on Indiegogo! Here is one photo of it -- but there are two photos of it on Indiegogo, to better show the manly forest camouflage colors. I have it at $99, but... maybe that is faaaar too cheap? Of course, it is perfectly possible to donate more.

Thanks a million to CherryBlossom for creating it, and for agreeing that it ought to be passed along to a new victi proud owner.

Tomorrow morning I leave on a trip to Oregon, to participate in the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Corvallis. So I will be incommunicado until Tuesday or so.

There are six days left on the Indiegogo campaign, so it will end before I get back. Take a look at it (link below) and send your friends to check it out also!

This afternoon I swam for an hour-and-a-half in the gorgeous 60 foot pool at Harbin Hot Springs -- which is only 19 miles from my front door. Swim suits are not required in Harbin pools, and are in fact pretty much universally shunned. Being rid of clammy movement-restricting garments is such a relief!

And except for the absence of water, going nude in BRC is equally wonderfully comfortable, since the climate is perfect for it (in the shade). We really ought to turn up the wick on the Naked part of Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service. It is a shame that 69,998 Burners are missing out!

Elliot wrote:And except for the absence of water, going nude in BRC is equally wonderfully comfortable, since the climate is perfect for it (in the shade). We really ought to turn up the wick on the Naked part of Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service. It is a shame that 69,998 Burners are missing out!

Maybe for you, but I don't even want to imagine being sunburned down where the sun doesn't usually shine. Ouch! It's tough, being of Irish ancestry. Am I going to have to set up a kiddy pool filled with sunscreen at my camp?

Not much preparation for the Burn this weekend, since two events draw me to the San Francisco Bay Area, both on Saturday:

PedalFest at Jack London Square in Oakland -- 11:00 to 7:00. All sorts of bicycle exhibits and activities. Two of us are planning to demonstrate amphibious pedal-vehicles (Kinetic Racing Sculptures) by careening down a makeshift ramp into the Bay, right by the statue of Jack London. http://pedalfestjacklondon.com/

i am going to throw this out here because it may help someone else that is not confident enough to let others know... i had to have surgery on my testicles a month ago and i am thinking that by the time the burn happens i may not be back to 100% ... meaning that any bike i get will probably not have an accommodating seat for someone in my situation...

so as of now, laugh, tease, have your fun, i have broad shoulders.... my question is - - - are there any seats out there that i can get that won't leave me wanting to walk my bike back after only a hundred feet ????

for those of you keeping score at home, extra bonus points will be awarded to answer that gets the most laughs

but i am being serious... the thought of riding a bike right now isn't on any of my lists...

Silas: I was in Academy yesterday and saw a seat you might investigate. It was padded and lacked the "horn" up the middle. Basically just a springy perch that would engage on the fleshy parts of your tush. It would put no pressure on your recovering manly bits at all.

Elliot may know the proper name of this creature, but I will call it the "tushie-tater".

It was $35 and very well padded.

"To sum up my compassion level, I think we should feed the unwanted animals to the homeless. Or visa versa. Too much attention and money is spent on both."(A Beautiful Mind)

GreyCoyote wrote:Silas: I was in Academy yesterday and saw a seat you might investigate. It was padded and lacked the "horn" up the middle. Basically just a springy perch that would engage on the fleshy parts of your tush. It would put no pressure on your recovering manly bits at all.

Elliot may know the proper name of this creature, but I will call it the "tushie-tater".

It was $35 and very well padded.

I love the name!!

Sometimes I'm confused by what I think is really obvious. But what I think is really obvious obviously isn't obvious.

In this crude snapshot, up in the picture is rearward on the saddle. They have it at Walmart, but I will be happy to gift you this one. In fact, I have two of them.

I tested one (pardon the teste... pun), and found it wanting. Turns out, the horn of a bicycle saddle serves an important function -- it orients the rider in line with the bicycle. But it might be just what you need. Better yet, you might want to use a trike. Then this horn-less saddle should give no directional trouble.

If you had a vasectomy... good on you -- I had mine 35 years ago; best 150 bucks I ever spent. If surgery was forced on you by medical necessity... that's tough, but you have "a few hundred" ePlaya'n rooting for you!

Three weeks ago I put The Manly Tutu on the Indiegogo campaign. But nobody claimed it!

However, I remain determined that it ought to be passed along every couple years, so as to maintain the novelty value that is a large part of wearing a tutu outside of a ballet performance -- and for a man to wear one at all.

So I am hereby offering it -- "Free to good home." The new custodian/caretaker/curator of this glorious garment commits to wearing it in BRC all Tutu Tuesday = Tuesday September 1, 2015, and to pass it along in the same spirit, sooner or later.

It will go to the first who speaks up for it -- but you wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to say something clever, now would you?Pick it up at Elliot's Bicycle Service between August 25 and 31.

Pictures or it didn't happen GreycoyoteI a recovering swagaholic I have to resist my grabby nature VultureChowThose aren't buttermilk biscuits I'm lying on SavannahWe're out there to play like adults with no adult supervision CaptG